I'd Give You the Stars
by KevyGrayce
Summary: "What's on your mind?" Tony finally inquires. Peter continues to stare out the window for a few moments, then sighs. "Do you ever wish you could see the stars? I mean really see them. Without the light pollution and the smog. I see those pictures all the time of the milky way that just looks like, like a giant cloud of stars across the sky. I wanna see stars like that someday."


HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! I hope everyone is having fun festivities and to those who don't celebrate the holidays, I hope you're having a good winter break :) I'm so excited to share this with you all, mainly because I had so much fun writing about some different holiday experiences with the characters!

In this, Peter and May celebrate Hanukkah, Tony and Ned celebrate Christmas, and MJ doesn't celebrate the holidays. I wanted to show multiple aspects of this time of year and I hope that comes across well :)

For those who have difficulty during this time of year, know that you are supported and loved here and this is a safe space if you need people to talk to 3000 You can do this!

Have fun and stay safe❤ 💛💚💙💜

* * *

It's two days until the first day of Hanukkah and five days until Christmas, which meant a lot of preparation Peter and his extended family. A lot of rushing and scrambling to get enough presents ready in time and decorate and plan. To be honest, it could get a bit stressful sometimes. Don't get him wrong, he loves the holidays; no school, lots of May time, ice skating with MJ and Ned, extra afternoon workshop time. But he just wishes things could slow down, even for a little bit.

He stares out the floor-to-ceiling window, hugging his knees to his chest for warmth, and tries to look through the glare of artificial light up at the stars. The snow falls across his view, the cold managing to seep through the pane of glass and cause goosebumps over his arms. Between the glare, the snow, and the light pollution, he can hardly see the moon, let alone the stars. The only planet he can see is Venus.

"Hey, kiddo." He looks up to see Tony with a warm smile and two steaming mugs of hot cocoa. "You looked cold," Tony explains as he extends one of the mugs. Peter accepts it with a quiet "thank you" and simply uses it to warm his hands. With a grunt of discomfort, Tony sits down next to the kid. The way his knees ache as he crosses his legs makes him feel far too old. "What's on your mind?" he finally inquires. Peter continues to stare out the window for a few moments, then sighs.

"Do you ever wish you could see the stars? I mean _really _see them. Without the light pollution and the smog. I see those pictures all the time of the milky way that just looks like, like a giant _cloud _of stars across the sky. I wanna see stars like that someday." He takes a slow sip of his hot cocoa without taking his eyes off the sky. If he were being honest, he'd say no. After seeing the stars crystal clear when he went through the wormhole, he's content never seeing them again.

However, he takes in Peter's tired face and slouched posture. The kid needs a break. They all do. Everything's been more than stressful lately, and although Peter is resilient, the exhaustion is starting to show through. Tony follows Peter's gaze and tries to see the stars as well, but it's near impossible due to the city's light.

"Yeah?" he simply responds. Peter nods in affirmation, comforted by the warmth in his palms to combat the frigid air. "Have you all decided what what we're going to do for our…what on Earth did you call it? Friendsmas?" Tony asks, seemingly changing the subject. Peter excitedly grasps onto the new subject.

"Yeah! We're gonna celebrate the third day of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve together. May really wants to do gingerbread house decorating and open presents together. If, y'know, that's okay with you and Ms. Po- uh, Pepper." He's still getting used to calling Pepper by her first name, though it drives Tony up a wall since the kid won't get on a first-name basis with him.

"Sounds fine to me," Tony casually agrees. Yet, he's mapping it all out in his head. He has a plan, actually. Well, part of a plan as of few moments ago, but since when is he one for thinking ahead? "You let me take care of our venue and you guys can worry about everything else, deal?" he offers, causing Peter to eye him suspiciously.

"Venue? That sounds expensive, Mr. Stark. I thought we agreed on doing it here?" Before Peter can continue his questioning, Tony nonchalantly waves him off.

"Nothing's ever too expensive and what'd I just say? I'll take care of it, capisce? Just support your aunt so she doesn't take on all the stress." A stressed out Peter he could handle, but a stressed out May? _That's _an Avenger's level threat right there. Peter huffs out a sigh and looks at him warily.

"Fine, but _please _nothing big or expensive okay? May would probably kill you if you spent a bunch. Just, just something nice and cozy," he says slowly, making sure Tony fully understands.

"Yeah, yeah. You got it, kid," Tony confirm. Besides, he already has something in mind…

Later on that week, after having celebrated the first two days of Hanukkah with many jelly doughnuts as well as potato latkes, Peter and May pack their bags for the mini holiday getaway. They have no idea what to expect since Tony won't tell them anything, but May doesn't seem as worried as Peter thought she would be.

"You're not, like, a little bit anxious?" he asks as he sits on her suitcase to help squish it down. It's an overnight excursion, but May is packing like they're going to be gone for a week. She does her best to tug the zipper around the curve of the suitcase.

"If I were worried about everything Tony ever tried to pull, I'd be insane," she answers honestly as she struggles with the zipper. Finally, she sits back with a huff. "Can you do some spider thing and web it closed?" Peter laughs at her defeated request and hops off the suitcase.

"No, but I can do this." He effortly presses a single hand on the suitcase, successfully squishing it to where he can easily zip it closed. May stares at the suitcase, then up at her nephew.

"Feel free to start with that next time." She shoots him a playful glare as he smiles innocently. Once they finish up at the apartment, they head out to pick up Ned and MJ. May also offered Tony a ride to the strange address he sent her, but he declined saying he and Pepper wanted to get there early. Peter sits in the passenger seat while Ned and MJ sit in back. The whole way there, May has the radio cranked up as Christmas music blares. Of course, Ned and Peter belt it as loud as possible while MJ hums it to herself. There's an occasional factoid from her in the form of mumblings.

"You know, mistletoe actually-"

"If you ruin mistletoe for me like you ruined Humpty Dumpty," Ned hastily interrupts, "I won't ever forgive you." MJ narrows her eyes at him in thought, contemplating whether or not she wants to test his threat.

"I was only going to say that people kiss under mistletoe because the goddess Frigg deemed it a symbol of love, according to folklore. But since you decided to interrupt, you also get to know that she made everything promise to not kill her son Baldur, but didn't make one with the mistletoe. So Loki made an arrow out of it and killed Baldur." By the time she finishes, Ned's eyes are wide with shock and she smiles smugly. On that uplifting note, the song changes to Jingle Bells.

"Loki would _never," _Peter counters with a horrified glance.

"Have you asked him?" MJ fires right back, then continues her humming. Peter and Ned make astonished eye contact, then Peter slowly faces forward again.

They don't have to wait too much longer after that to arrive at the address. Peter hadn't realized how far Upstate they were going to be traveling, but for the first time he feels like he's in the middle of nowhere. Turns out, the surprise location is a massive, lakeside cabin with a green lawn spanning the space between the two. Peter slowly steps out of the car in complete awe, staring at the reflection of the setting sun and evergreen trees on the surface of the lake. A thin layer of snow coats the ground and the roof of the cabin.

"Woah, this is _insane _dude!" Ned exclaims, glancing in every possible direction. MJ leans against the car, silently appreciating the ambient sounds of nature.

"Well, he certainly went all out," May speaks up as she pulls her bags out. Nodding in agreement, Peter pulls out his backpack as well. He walks to the trunk and starts stacking the abundance of gingerbread boxes, presents, desserts, and decorations in his arms.

"Since when doesn't he," MJ points out. They grab as much as they can carry, but Peter carries the most with a comically large stack reaching far above his head.

"Look who's here!" Tony calls with a grin, opening the door to the cabin before the group can worry about it with their hands full.

"Hey, Mr. Stark!" Peter greets excitedly, peering around his tower of boxes. The movement almost causes the boxes to topple over, but luckily his superhuman reflexes keep them upright. Still, Tony's hands jut out to steady him as a precaution.

"Find the place okay?" he asks as he looks to May. Ned and MJ walk inside to set down their things.

"Yeah, I just didn't expect it to be so…" May searches for the right word with a mischievious smile on her lips.

"Charming? Modest? Perfect?" Tony supplies with smirk

"Peaceful." With that, May walks passed him. Peter can't help but snicker at the dumbfounded look on Tony's face, a contrast to his usually smug demeanor.

"Wow, I'm really impressed! I didn't know 'modest' was in your vocabulary," he adds on with an innocent smile. Tony scoffs, quickly shaking off his brief stupor.

"Watch it, Shortstack," he fires back, earning him a pout. Peter stubbornly looks away from him, but in doing so notices something in the window. His eyes widen ever so slightly.

"You put out a hanukkiyah?" he inquires in mild shock.

"Of course I did," Tony instantly answers with confidence. "I worked it out with your aunt ahead of time, just to make sure I wasn't messing up any traditions or being disrespectful or something." He sniffs nonchalantly, but Peter can see through his facade to the genuine, considerate intentions. Peter smiles to himself, then looks to his mentor and friend.

"Thanks, we really appreciate it," he says gratefully as he maneuvers his way inside. Tony takes a few boxes off the top of his stack so he can fit through the doorway, then smiles softly as well.

"Do I smell what I think I smell?" he casually brings up, but Peter catches the meaning between his words.

"If you think you smell jelly doughnuts, then yes. We brought some chocolate gelt too, but you don't get to eat any yet!" Peter quickly adds when he sees the devious smile on Tony's face. Their teasing is cut short by the dilemma in the family room.

"What are we doing first?!" Ned squeals with obvious enthusiasm. "Build snowmen?! Snowball fight?! Christmas movies?! Play Dreidel?!" he questions at lightning speed as everyone gets settled. Once he puts his stuff down, Peter is quick to give Pepper a hello hug, who was sitting by the fire.

"Do you ever breathe when you talk?" MJ implores, somewhat serious.

"Actually," May cuts in, "I was thinking we start out with these." She pulls out various boxes of gingerbread house building kits. The two teens stop their bickering before it can start and watch her with intrigue.

"Gingerbread house building competition?" Tony asks, suddenly interested in the festivities. Pepper playfully rolls her eyes, knowing what he's getting at.

"Not everything has to be a competition, Tony," she mildly reprimands, though she's more than aware her efforts are futile. Tony immediately waves her off.

"Nah, it's totally a competition," Peter chimes in. If it weren't already self-evident, both Tony and Peter are extremely competitive. No one is even remotely surprised considering the last time they tried playing Monopoly together. They're just lucky Tony, Peter, and Rhodey are still friends.

"You two can do whatever you want, just don't drag us into it," MJ mutters…then adds, "too bad I'm going to pummel both of your pathetic excuses for gingerbread houses." That one, simple challenge was all they needed. Peter's eyes narrow in determination.

"It's _so _on."

To say their workspace was a mess in seconds would be an understatement. Pepper and May decide to work together to make their perfect house, which Tony feels the need to point out is definitely against the rules.

"No conspiring allowed! That's illegal! Disqualified!" he shouts over the ruckus with a shit-eating grin.

"You're only saying that because you can't get yours to stand up!" Pepper shoots back without remorse. Tony's smirk turns into a glare, because she's absolutely right. He can't get his damn house to stay up.

"You tampered with the icing," he accuses anyways. "This is betrayal of the highest degree! I demand a trial!" His boisterous, theatrical voice booms, but Peter laughs nonetheless.

"I dunno, it tastes pretty good to me!" Peter counters while squeezing some of said icing into his mouth.

"Hey! That's for decorating, not eating, young man!" May halfheartedly reprimands with a wide smile on her face. She can barely hold back her own laughter at the sight.

"Don't eat all of that, Parker." MJ looks at him pointedly as she adds an insane amount of purple food coloring to her bowl of icing to make it black. "I'm going to need some for the fake blood." She nods to the red food coloring to her left. Peter and Ned both give her concerned yet unsurprised looks.

"Why do you need blood for your gingerbread house?" Ned asks reluctantly, not sure if he wants to know the answer.

"Fake blood. And because it's going to be a haunted gingerbread house. Duh," MJ explains as if it's obvious. His eyes darting back and forth, Ned chuckles nervously.

"Why do you feel the need to point out that it's fake? Isn't it supposed to be, like, festive? And heartwarming?" MJ stops what she's doing to turn to him and raises her eyebrows.

"Says the one using legos," she says, nodding to the legos stuck to his house's roof.

"That's not the same thing!" Ned valiantly defends. "I'm just being ingenuitive!" The bantering between the family continues back and forth until the gingerbread houses are complete and every one of them is exhausted from the obviously high stakes. As they admire their work, the conversation flows to a new topic.

"What about you, MJ?" May asks after explaining her and Peter's Hanukkah traditions. "What do you do for the holidays?" MJ shrugs her shoulders as if she's about to pass on the question, then speaks.

"We don't celebrate, but my dad and I spend the day together. Hot chocolate, making fun of crappy Hallmark movies, that kind of dumb stuff. It's fun." She chuckles at the thought of both of them, and surprisingly smiles at the memories.

"Aw, that's nice," Peter agrees, mirroring her smile. Ned then flops onto a nearby couch, utterly spent.

"This. Is. Awesome." They chuckle at his expression and Peter turns to Tony.

"Yeah! Seriously, Mr. Stark, you gotta rent this place _every _year." The teen energetically bounces on his toes, grin practically lighting up the room more than the fire. Tony hums and shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I dunno, might just buy it. The place is growing on me," he admits, looking around before his eyes land on Pepper in a silent offer. Pepper sees the way his eyes twinkle mischieviously, but can't help agreeing.

"It would be a great place to raise a family," May says with a kind smile. She nudges Pepper with her shoulder. The prospect of a future is comforting, but a tad too serious for Tony's liking at the moment. Instead, he makes eye contact with Peter and nods towards the door. Peter tilts his head in confusion, but Pepper and May catch the drift.

"MJ, Ned," Pepper speaks up, "Why don't you help us get dinner ready." Ned and MJ easily comply and the four head to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Peter and Tony meander out of the house. The sun has long since set, the lake now reflecting the moonlight and the silhouettes of trees swaying in the wind.

"Is something up?" Peter inquires hesitantly. All Tony does in answer is sit on the porch. Still confused, Peter follows suit. They sit in silence, simply enjoying each other's company and the cool breeze.

"Do you know why I chose this place?" Tony asks, not taking his eyes off the snow. Peter looks up at Tony's face, then shrugs slightly.

"'Cause it's pretty and probably expensive and you like showing off?" he guesses, hardly keeping his grin at bay. Tony twists to pin him with over exaggerated shock and puts a hand over his heart.

"To think you have such little faith in me. It's disconcerting, really," he teases, making Peter laugh. For some reason, Tony then sobers. His facial expression shifts from playful to one more genuine. "Because I knew the cabin would feel more like a home than a business. There's more privacy here, no horns or yelling. The snow isn't brown with pollution." The last point he says with a look of disgust.

"That's for sure," Peter affirms with a chuckle. He holds his hands in one another to keep him warm. Tony drapes his arm around the kid's shoulders and rubs his arm to generate some warmth.

"And because of the beautiful view." He points up and Peter, eyebrows drawn together, follows his gaze. When he looks at the night sky, he almost forgets to breathe as his eyes go wide. He can't believe it. Specklings of stars after stars adorn the sky in clusters of glittering light. It's the clearest he has ever seen them, so much so that he can actually see the Milky Way.

The pictures don't do it justice.

Slowly, he stands and walks out from under the overhang to get a better look, his mouth agape. The pure amount of stars hanging above him is overwhelmingly incredible and too vast to count. It's hard to believe that they aren't magic as they twinkle with such vibrancy and life, he could just cry. Hardly is he ever stunned speechless, but this is one of those moments. A truly beautiful sight, and a dream come true. It's a stark contrast to the one measly star he could see from the Tower.

The stars almost seem to reflect in his eyes.

"How's that for stars?" Tony says gently from behind him. Peter turns around in the blink of an eye and invelops him in a warm, loving hug. It takes a moment for Tony to recover, but wraps his arms securely around the kid.

"They're perfect," Peter's voice cracks with heartfelt emotion, "thank you so much." He can't help the tears that fall down his cheeks when he closes his eyes. Tony smiles into Peter's shoulder, and nods in acknowledgement.

"Happy Hanukkah, kid," he whispers. Peter chuckles, then sniffs.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Stark," he returns, the pure elation evident in his voice.

"Wanna go back inside and light the candles?" At Tony's offer, Peter lets go, wipes his tears of happiness, and nods.

"Yeah." They walk back inside, snow crunching under their shoes, and are greeted by family as well as the wonderful smell of food. Before eating, May and Peter allow the honor of lighting the hanukkiyah to go to Tony, who is told by Peter how to light them from left to right using the center candle; the shamash. Once the lighting is complete, the cabin is silent as Peter and May sing their prayers. The process is calming, an enjoyable experience which sets the tone for the rest of their unforgettable night together.

* * *

Next one shot: Cry Your Heart Out, January 10th! Peter and Tony have an argument👀

Thank you for reading!❤ 💛💚💙💜

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